Some of the best waterfowl hunting in the nation. Learn and share your experiences duck hunting in the Republic of Texas. From the Canada geese of the Panhandle to the Snows of Houston and estuaries for ducks on the coast and the livestock impoundments to the west.

The back lakes are still holding a couple of thousand Redheads here the first week of March. Whooping Crane sightings increased a bit last week, saw maybe a dozen or so.

Heading Toward Spring

It feels great getting back on the water with some regularity. HOWEVER, not everything is coming up rosey off the water. Hearing lots of struggling with the bite despite lots of fish sightings. Fortunately we've been managing to outperform of late with some solid boxes taking what the fish and Mother Nature are willing to give. It's early, and early can present some challenges. Capt. Chris reported full limits of Redfish while taking a few black drum fishing a local tournament. He was among a couple of boats with much to show for the outing. Capt. James reported schooled up Reds shallow but uncooperative over a slick bottom on Thursday and came in with a light fish box. I've been working the flats and deeper venues managing to keep the rods bent fairly well for the conditions. There's not a ton of fish shallow right now and that changes day to day with the weather.

Lure Selection

Redfish have been coming to the table full of Sandeels so if you are lure fishing, matching the hatch can be productive. There's not much in the way of finfish in the shallows to this point. A lot of bait stocks are holding in bayous similarly moving back and forth from shallow to deep depending on temps.

Transitions, Another Spring Puzzler

Spring transitions vary from year to year and we are running late again similar to last Spring as we emmerge from the depths of Winter. There's no real emmergent grass growth as of yet on flats stripped barren by low cool water and ravenous ducks. It's quite amazing how fast a transition can take place but the conditions have to be right with elevated warming waters and rising temps.

For now, fish seeking the comfort of food sources over shallow mud/grass flats are playing the weather moving back and forth deep to shallow and back again. Plunging temperatures send the flats fish deeper until a particular comfort level is reached. It's this seesaw back and forth that finds us ranging from the flats to the swales and deeper venues.